Photos: New Supernova Explodes in Galaxy M95

M95 Barred Spiral Galaxy with Supernova

Efrain Morales Rivera

M95 is a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Leo. A supernova has been newly discovered in it. Image obtained March 20, 2012.

Supernova in Galaxy M95

Oscar Martín Mesonero

Oscar Martín Mesonero of the Salamanca Organization of Astronautics and Space (OSAE) in Spain took this photo of the newly discovered supernova in galaxy M95 on March 20, 2012.

Galaxy M95 and Supernova SN2012aw

Parijat Singh

Skywatcher Parijat Singh took this photograph of the newly discovered supernova, SN2012aw, on March 16, 2012.

Possible Progenitor Star for New Supernova

Hubble/ J. Mould et al./N. Elias-Rosa et al.

This Hubble Space Telescope image shows a red supergiant star that may have been the source of a new supernova recently discovered in the galaxy M95.

Supernova SN2012aw Before and After

Parijat Singh

Skywatcher Parijat Singh imaged galaxy M95 on the evening of March 15, 2012, a day before SN2012aw appeared (top image). The following night, March 16, he again photographed M95, showing the new supernova (bottom image). He mentions that the streaks in both images are due to satellites.

Supernova Caught by Accident in Salamanca, Spain

Oscar Martín Mesonero

Skywatcher Oscar Martín Mesonero of Salamanca, Spain, writes: " … March 18, I was doing the Messier Marathon with members of the association. One project I had in mind … was to photograph the planet Mars with several galaxies of Leo.… The surprise came this morning when I [learned] that a supernova exploded in the galaxy M95. Quickly I checked the photos of that night and ... indeed there [it] was. Unwittingly photographed a supernova of magnitude +13.5, only 2 days after its discovery."

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

Space.com Staff
News and editorial team

Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.